Augment Slot

Augment Slot is a gem socket on certain named or random items. By adding an augment into a slot, your item gains an additional effect, as long as the augment is slotted. This crafting system introduced in Update 17 replaced the two older augment systems - Epic Augments, and Guild Augments (both older systems can still be used on legacy items that no longer drop in game).

5% of generated items have an Augment Slot. When found on a lootgen (random) item, the augment slot replaces some of the enhancement value/base price modifier that the item would have had otherwise, such as Enhancement Bonus, prefix, or suffix.

Colorless Augment Slots take +1 of the item’s total enhancement value.

Red, Blue, and Yellow Augment Slots take +2 of the item’s total enhancement value.

Green slots available on random accessories as of Update 19. They have an enhancement value of +3.

Random accessories with 2 slots (Yellow and Colorless) can be found since Update 19.

Purple and Orange slots cannot yet be found on random treasure. They are found on named treasure only.

Augments are a kind of miscellaneous item, they do what Augment Crystals used to do before and more. However, the benefit bestowed by an augment will typically be at a lower value than the normal item enchantment of the same minimum level.

Unbound augments can be found in treasure chests (need source and verification on this info):

Level 1-7 chests have a 5% chance per player of containing an augment gem.

Level 8-16 chests have a 2% chance per player of containing an augment gem.

Level 17-25 chests have a 1% chance per player of containing an augment gem.

Update 17 also introduces the first three “Named” Augments, which drop in specific locations inside certain quests. Named Augments can do special and wondrous things. See the list of Named Augments here.

To use an Augment, double-click on it from your inventory. Then, a barter-shop style window specific to that augment will appear on screen.

Place the item you want to augment (which needs to have an appropriate slot), select the slot to place the augment in, and hit the “Augment!” button. (You need to select the recipe even if there’s only one slot available.), then your item gains that augment's effect.

At any point, you can replace the augment you have slotted by placing a new one in the same slot. However, new augments overwrite old augments, and you don’t get the old augment back. Alternatively, you can use Jeweler's Tool Kit (DDO Store only or a VERY rare grab in Daily Dice) to unslot an augment and claim the old augment back. It is also possible to take an augment off from pre-slotted named items using it. (DDO Forums)

Every augment has an associated minimum level requirement to use it. The common (non-named) augments move up in increments of 4 levels at a time: 1 (technically 0), 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 & 28. Slotting any augment also increases the slotted item’s minimum level to the level of the slotted augment for as long as that augment is slotted, unless the item’s minimum level is already equal or higher.

New Augments will continue to be added in future updates. For example: Colorless augments that provide bonuses to Skills (Enhancement or Competence?) are currently planned as a future update to this system.

Also, some of these are chest drop only and not purchasable at vendors in game. See the full list of purchasable ones and proper name of the Augments here.

Update 21 (Released on March 10th, 2014) introduced six new augments called Ruby Eye Augments. These augments have no minimum level, and have their benefits scale based on the minimum level of the item. This allows a character to equip the Ruby at whatever level is desired, and continue to slot the augment on future items as the character levels up while increasing the overall benefit of the augment. All six augments have a 2% chance to provide a related damage type as an AOE effect. The six Ruby Eye Augments augments are:

Ruby Eye of Erosion: 2% Chance On-Hit to cause a blast of acid that deals 3 to 18 points of acid damage per Minimum Level of the upgraded weapon to all nearby enemies. (So, a ML 4 item slotted with the augment would have a 2% chance to do 12 to 72 area of effect damage to all nearby enemies.)

Ruby Eye of the Inferno: 2% Chance On-Hit to cause a blast of flame that deals 4 to 16 points of fire damage per minimum level of the upgraded weapon to all nearby enemies.

Ruby Eye of the Glacier: 2% Chance On-Hit to cause a blast of cold that deals 7 to 14 points of cold damage per minimum level of the upgraded weapon to all nearby enemies.

Ruby Eye of the Tempest: 2% Chance On-Hit to cause a bolt of lightning that deals 1 to 20 points of electrical damage per minimum level of the upgraded weapon to all nearby enemies.

Ruby Eye of Righteousness: 2% Chance On-Hit to cause a blast of holy energy that deals 3 to 12 points of holy damage per minimum level of the upgraded weapon to all nearby enemies.

Ruby Eye of Force: 2% Chance On-Hit to cause a burst of magical force that deals 3 to 12 points of force damage per minimum level of the upgraded weapon to all nearby enemies.

These augments can be found in the 40th Anniversary Trading Card event, as a possible reward in addition to Haunted Halls of Eveningstar optional end chests, and (infrequently) in the Thunderholme raid chests. Additionally, they are available in the DDO Store to purchase for DDO Points. [Source]

Meteoric Star Ruby: 2% chance On Hit to cause a falling star to strike your target, dealing 3 to 18 Fire Damage and 1 to 6 Bludgeoning Damage per Minimum Level of the weapon to all nearby enemies, with a chance to knock them prone. (Referenced here by Feather of Sun.)

The old Epic Augment Crystals will no longer be available after Update 17, and they do not function in the new slots. Existing items won't lose any of their effects, so you aren't forced to update old Epic items. However, if you decide to do any more modification with your current item, you will need to do the following "Cleansing Ritual" to update your item.

To convert an old Epic item to use the new slots, place the item you would like to convert into the Altar of Epic Rituals along with 50 Siberys Dragonshard Fragments. This converts the augment slots on the item to the new system. They retain their colors and can accept the new augments, but can no longer use Epic Augment Crystals from before Update 17. This process will remove all currently slotted Epic Augments in the item, and may also remove other modifications, such as Stone of Change recipes. Players get no refund over this.